A Covid-Affair Elopement

Elopement

This fairytale wedding started in the middle of worldwide lockdown when Ryno proposed to Jade and the wedding elopement ideas started! They agreed that they wanted to get married on their anniversary, 23 June 2020 which didn’t leave much time for planning. Getting engaged and married within a few weeks sounds almost impossible and even more so when your dream date happens to fall in the middle of the Corona pandemic.

The couple’s biggest obstacle was the fact that Home Affairs do not facilitate marriages during Level 3 on their premises. They do however accept marriage registrations and supply couples with their marriage certificate. Unwilling to accept this disappointing and confusing news, Ryno and Jade decided to contact a marriage officer for more clarity and assistance on the subject.

Marriage Officer

Marriage officer, Johan du Toit from Covenant Weddings, is registered with the Department of Home Affairs. As such, he offers the full range of services required to have your marriage registered on their database. Johan explained that according to the government’s regulations, couples were allowed to have a marriage ceremony with two witnesses. This is exactly what Ryno and Jade decided on and wanted in the first place. They felt that having a very small, intimate wedding ceremony made their experience even more special and remarkable.

Wedding Hair and Makeup + Bridal Bouquet

Wanting to share every moment together, Ryno and Jade got ready in the comfort of their own home. Ruan Vlok from That Cool Hair Place did Jade’s hair and make up even though she could barely sit still from all the excitement and wedding jitters! The stunning Peonies were created by Madeleine Van der Merwe, from Miabella Paper Couture.

Wedding outfit + Wedding Photographer

With this couple’s wedding, nothing was traditional! Jade decided on a navy floral dress with the brightest yellow shoes she could find, rather than a traditional white wedding dress. She felt this suited her personality better. The yellow shoes made the photographers, Stefan Steenkamp and Jo-Lizna Botha, from Zara Zoo Photography very happy! The stunning photos were taken in the Company Gardens, Cape Town, as well as the V&A Waterfront which served as the perfect backdrop for this alternative couples’ wedding photos.

Every moment of this day was special, intimate and very emotional. They ended off the day with a romantic dinner and some champagne at home which completed the perfect love circle!